Introduction to Yemen Mokha San'ani Coffee Region Overview of Yemen Mocha Coffee Growing Areas

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The Enigmatic Charm of Yemen Coffee

When Yemen coffee is mentioned, one immediately thinks of the magically rich and satisfying natural sun-dried beans, with layers of fantastical wild aromas reminiscent of fermented tea in their aftertaste—mysterious, unpredictable, and infinitely fascinating, much like the country of Yemen itself.

Geographical Origins and Historical Significance

Yemen is located in Asia, facing Ethiopia across the Red Sea in East Africa. It is the highest-quality producer of natural sun-dried coffee. Coffee produced in Yemen is called Mocha beans. In fact, Mocha is a coffee export port. In the early days, including nearby East African sun-dried beans, they were all exported from Mocha port to various parts of the world. Therefore, the sun-dried beans produced in this region, including Yemen and Ethiopia in East Africa, are collectively referred to as Mocha beans.

Natural Sun-Drying Processing Method

Yemen coffee's natural sun-drying processing method involves manually harvesting fully ripe coffee beans and then placing the freshly harvested beans directly in specialized coffee drying grounds or their own compacted earth front yards to receive sunlight. During the drying period, similar to drying rice in Taiwan, wooden rakes are used to turn the beans to ensure each bean dries evenly. After about twenty days of coffee drying completion, the outer pulp and skin are removed to extract the coffee beans. Yemen coffee is characterized by its rich, complex, wild, mellow, and strong fermentation flavors with lower acidity. Additionally, Yemen coffee often contains an uncertain factor (the timing of seasonal rainfall) that makes it unpredictable, making it no exaggeration to call it the most special coffee in the world.

Environmental and Economic Challenges

Yemen is one of the driest countries in the world. Economically, the country currently relies on oil exports for three-quarters of its income, but the World Bank predicts that the country's reserves will be depleted around 2017. This country, which was once self-sufficient through farming, now relies on imports for 80% of its agricultural crops. Reasons include population expansion, and water shortage issues related to the local people's over-cultivation of "Qat" (also known as khat or Arabian tea), a crop with a history as long as coffee.

Qat is a commonly used social drug among residents of the Arabian Peninsula. Yemenis like to set up rooms in their homes to entertain guests, chewing Qat while chatting with friends. It contains the stimulant cathinone, which has effects similar to mild amphetamines, providing mental stimulation and alertness. However, when the drug's effects wear off, users feel depressed. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has not listed it as a narcotic, many Western countries have already banned its import.

On the other hand, Yemen has been troubled by drought problems since ancient times. Its major cities all rely on groundwater sources, of which agriculture consumes 90% of the water supply, and growing Qat alone consumes a significant amount of water. Authorities predict that the underground water storage in the capital Sana'a will be depleted by 2017. Most Yemeni cities are built on high mountains, and residents rely on water from wells operated by government or private institutions. The country has between 40,000 to 70,000 wells, some reaching 600 meters underground. Additionally, pumping water uphill is costly, with the government spending up to $7 billion annually on drilling and water pumping. Therefore, in recent years, the local authorities have decided to ban Qat, which both wastes water and cannot satisfy hunger, and replace it with other crops. Coinciding with the rise of the specialty coffee trend, the Yemeni government is now actively encouraging farmers to switch to growing coffee, which consumes half as much water as Qat.

Mokha San'ani - Yemen's Premium Coffee

Mokha San'ani: A broad market name for coffee from some growing areas west of Yemen's capital Sana'a. It is a blend of beans from tens of thousands of small farms on the slopes near the capital San'a. The growing altitude is slightly lower than Mattari, generally with a thinner mouthfeel and lower acidity than Mattari, but with good fruity aromas, often having better ripe fruit and wild flavors than Mattari. Altitude is approximately 1650 meters.

The coffee beans are inconsistent in size with considerable color variation, appearing to be composed of small pea-like beans and empty defective beans. The raw beans have a fermented wine aroma. Unlike Ethiopian red cherry coffee with its eye-catching strawberry sandwich biscuit aroma, the low-key, calm, and sufficient aftertaste of fermented wine aroma is unmatched by sun-dried beans from other countries.

Brewing Recommendations and Flavor Profile

FrontStreet Coffee suggests using 15g of coffee powder, BG 5R (Chinese No. 20 sieve pass rate?), V60 filter cup, water temperature of 89-90°C. First infusion with 25g of water, let it bloom for 30 seconds, then inject to 125g and stop the water. Wait until the water level in the powder bed drops to half before adding more water, slowly pour water until reaching 225g. Do not use the last 5 grams. Water-to-coffee ratio is 1:15, extraction time approximately 2:00 (calculated from the completion of water injection after blooming).

Yemen coffee flavor: Well-balanced taste, with notes of dark chocolate, nuts, red berries, complex wild flavors, and a persistent caramel sweetness in the aftertaste.

About FrontStreet Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans, while also providing online store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

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